African Games 2023: Nigeria Bags First Medal in Ghana As Table Tennis Star Edem Offiong Wins Bronze

• Edem Offiong scooped home Nigeria's first medal at the 2023 African Games
• The experienced table tennis star clinched a third-place finish on Tuesday
• She also won the bronze medal in the last edition of the multi-sport event

Team Nigeria kicked off the 13th edition of the African Games with a promising start, securing its first medal in the multi-sport competition thanks to Edem Offiong.

Offiong clinched the bronze medal in the women's singles Table Tennis competition, marking a positive beginning for the West African nation.

Her third-place finish came after she faced a tough challenge in the semi-finals against Egypt's Dina Meshref, as noted by Daily Post.

Meshref dominated the match with a convincing 4-0 victory over her Nigerian opponent, setting up an all-Egyptian final against Hana Goda, Africa's No.1 ranked female table tennis player, who advanced by defeating Lucie Mubarek in the other semi-final.

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Before reaching the semi-finals, Edem battled through a thrilling seven-set encounter against Algeria's Alhodaby Mariam in the quarter-finals, according to GTVSports+.

With Offiong's success in table tennis, Team Nigeria aims to build momentum and achieve further success across various disciplines in the ongoing African Games hosted in Accra, Ghana.

Ghana crash out of table tennis competition

Meanwhile, Ghana, the host nation of the 13th African Games, faced a significant setback in their quest for medals, particularly in table tennis, Sports Brief reported.

The Ghanaian table tennis team, known as the Black Loopers, consisting of 10 athletes, experienced disappointment as they failed to advance beyond the round of 16 stage in the ongoing championship held in Accra.

Despite the presence of determined players, including five males and five females, such as Israel Aklie, the youngest member of Ghana's contingent for the African Games, none managed to progress to the later stages of the competition.

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Sports Brief also noted that the African Games men's football tournament has been revised to include nine U-20 teams. These teams are divided into two groups: one with four teams and the other with five.

In Group A, the hosts will compete against Gambia, Benin, and Congo. Meanwhile, Group B will feature Nigeria, the top contender, up against South Sudan, Senegal, Uganda, and Tunisia.

Nigeria's matches are all scheduled to start at 20:00, while Group B matches will be held at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium.

The top two teams from each group will progress to the semi-finals, which are set for March 19. The final is slated for March 22 at the Accra Sports Stadium.